Is it a change request?

This is an interesting question in business IT.  I just sat through a long meeting discussing requirements for a project that is under way.  The project started without a detailed list of requirements written out. 

So, the business adds a requirement that no one was aware of.  I made the mistake of using the words "change request"  which led to a ROUSING discussion.  The business didn't want to start adding "process" when they had not been required to follow a requirements management process to date.  It was a shock to use the words.

Lesson to learn: if you EVER want to control your Business IT project, don't let any progress to occur without a common agreement about the amount of control, and stick to that agreement as long as possible. 

There's a layer of stomach lining I'm never getting back.

Comments

• Anonymous
  August 11, 2005
  "No requirements management process" -- sounds like you'll be missing several layers of stomach lining after this project.
• Anonymous
  August 11, 2005
  Been there, done that. And, vowed never to allow it to happen again!
• Anonymous
  September 06, 2005
  If you're lucky, the customer won't want to upgrade or modify the system in the future. But you already know that...